Is 4.30 gears too much?

I've never been in a car with 4.30s though I imagine controlling wheelspin would be a PITA

For those that are saying 4.30s are too much gear, I have a few questions for you:

1)Why are 4.30's to much gear for him?
2)How do you know that they are to much gear for him? By that I mean:
2a)Have you tried 4.30's in your car?
2b)What other gear ratios have you tried?

Personally, looking at what the thread starter is wanting to do, 4.30's are a good ratio for you.

I have had 3.27s, 3.55's, 3.73's, and 4.30's in my car. The car was a NPI auto with PI Cams, PI Intake, 80 mm MAF, 2.5" Dual Exhaust, 3800 RPM TC. The car was daily driven with all gear ratios. I have taken this car on many road trips including Regina Saskatchewan Canada to Orange Texas USA with 4.30's with the mentioned above mods plus a mid-length header. The car averaged 24 US MPG on that road trip down to Orange.

I will have to check my excel file at home for the exact RPM, but I remember 80 MPH showing 3000 RPM on the tach of my car on that road trip. I remember 80 MPH was just under 2500 with the 3.73's and around 2000 with the 3.27's.

I never got a good 1/4 pass with the 4.30's compared to the 3.73's. It was not due to tire spinning issues. My 4.30's tune was not locking the TC at the right points like my 3.73 tune was. I do think the car would have been quicker with the 4.30's though had I had the same quality of tune for the 4.30's.

The 4.30's lost about 4 MPG on the highway compared to the 3.73's, they gained about 6 MPG in the city compared to the 3.73's though. My car spends more time in the city than highway, so it was a good tradeoff for me.

This car now has a 5.0L Big-Bore 2V with ported heads, cams, plastic PI intake, 3" Exhaust, 4400 RPM Stall TC with 4.30's. It is currently a daily driven car. It is still getting 20+ MPG in the city and highway. If anything, I am thinking I might go to 4.56's with this car. I will if I have to redo my differential.

Right now, I have 245/50/16 Bridgestone Potenza Pole Position All Season tires on the car for the street. I have driven it in the pooring rain and could still somewhat get on the car without a driving issue. That is with over 330 RWHP N/A at the wheels.

If you drive the car with some common sense, you can have fun with it. You don't need a 15" race tire to enjoy it, but you will need a good street tire.

That is my thoughts and experience with a NPI car and other gear ratios including 4.30's.

There's one BIG consideration that no one else has mentioned so far. You do not want to be shifting to 5th at the track. A 4.30 gear at 6000rpm in 4th is only 102mph. If you can run it out to 6500, then you'll be able to run 110mph, but that's right at the rev-limit.

his car is not an auto, its a stick, big difference controlling traction tgj. I have driven a car with 4.30's, and a stick, have you? Cause thats what were talking about.

As you notice, I said the gears are "streetable." I think 4.10's suit his car better. Nobody is saying he needs a race tire to "enjoy" it, but there really no benefit to that low of a gear with street tires.

with ported pi heads and cams, he will need to be shifting at 6500+rpm

Winters98GT said:

his car is not an auto, its a stick, big difference controlling traction tgj.

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Bull ****. In fact I would argue the opposite. I have a 2005 Mustang GT 5 spd standard with 300 RWHP with a 3.73 gear set. I can drive that car on the ice with it's stock all season tires. My TBird goes sideways, not forward in the same conditions. Granted the TBird has a different tire on it now, so it may be different now.

I had lots of fun this past winter. Due to my mother's illness, my car's got put away late. It was the middle of December. Didn't have a problem getting the Mustang up the hill and into the garage. I had to put the TBird in the other garage because I couldn't get it up the hill.

Last fall, I test drove a Mach 1 5 spd with 4.30's in the pooring rain. If it was not all riced out, I would have that car as well.

Winters98GT said:

I have driven a car with 4.30's, and a stick, have you? Cause thats what were talking about.

As you notice, I said the gears are "streetable." I think 4.10's suit his car better. Nobody is saying he needs a race tire to "enjoy" it, but there really no benefit to that low of a gear with street tires.

with ported pi heads and cams, he will need to be shifting at 6500+rpm

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As a matter of fact I have driven a NPI stick with 4.30's. Driving that car pretty much convinced me to go with 4.30's in my TBird.

If I had a 96 - 04 Mustang GT auto or 5 spd, regardless of whether it had PI or NPI heads, it would have 4.30's in it. It is probably the cheapest mod to make a close to stock 96 - 04 GT compete with the newer cars.

With the 4.30's, he gives up some top end MPH, but has a much more fun car to drive. 4.30's will have the car in the power band and if it is not will get to it quicker. The car revs faster with the steeper gears. it doesn't change the power band.

4.10's will work as well if he is looking for a little more top end. But since he already has the 4.30's, I would go with them.

wow, we got our panties up in a bunch, lol. OK, you win.

a stock 99+car with 4.30's and 17 inch street tires is going to be spinning off the line while a car with a higher gear is going to be walking away.

Winters98GT said:

wow, we got our panties up in a bunch, lol. OK, you win.

a stock 99+car with 4.30's and 17 inch street tires is going to be spinning off the line while a car with a higher gear is going to be walking away.

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Really,

That really depends on what RPM you release the clutch at, whether you slip( ride ) the clutch at all and what 17" Street tire you have.

But I guess, you are too clueless to know that...

TGJ said:

Really,

That really depends on what RPM you release the clutch at, whether you slip( ride ) the clutch at all and what 17" Street tire you have.

But I guess, you are too clueless to know that...

Click to expand...

I guess I am clueless, Ive never launched a car or slipped the clutch with street tires, and I dont any sub 2.0 sixty foot passes on street tires.

can you teach me?

TGJ said:

Really,

That really depends on what RPM you release the clutch at, whether you slip( ride ) the clutch at all and what 17" Street tire you have.

But I guess, you are too clueless to know that...

Click to expand...

if you have to launch at a lower rpm and feather the clutch because of gears screwing up your traction - it negates the advantage 4.30's have over 4.10's even 3.90's - especially considering not wanting to shift out of fourth at the end of the track

4.30s for me and no regrets.

If you are struggling with traction out of the hole, then you may want to consider upgrades to the suspension and rubber...

Gears are only one piece of the overall equation.

I think it's funny that you guys are argueing over LESS than a 5% difference in gearing (from 4.10 to 4.30). With a good driver, it won't make a hell of a lot of difference which gear set you have, be it 3.27s or 4.30s, at least on street tires. I was getting 2.1 60' times on my 500 treadwear street tires in a stock 97GT with 3.27s. If I left the weight in the trunk, like the sub and the spare tire, I bet I could have done even better in the 60'. So maybe with the 'ideal' gear, I could get a 2.0? I doubt as I was at the limits of traction anyway.

CobraRed_96_GT said:

if you have to launch at a lower rpm and feather the clutch because of gears screwing up your traction - it negates the advantage 4.30's have over 4.10's even 3.90's - especially considering not wanting to shift out of fourth at the end of the track

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You and your buddy( Winters98GT ) have some learning to do. The post below yours sums it up very nice...

SADL-UP said:

4.30s for me and no regrets.

If you are struggling with traction out of the hole, then you may want to consider upgrades to the suspension and rubber...

Gears are only one piece of the overall equation.

Click to expand...

TGJ said:

You and your buddy( Winters98GT ) have some learning to do. The post below yours sums it up very nice...

Click to expand...

Owned

TGJ said:

You and your buddy( Winters98GT ) have some learning to do. The post below yours sums it up very nice...

Click to expand...

if you have no traction then you obviously don't have a dragstrip suspension and drag radials, so again 4.30's wont help much more than higher gears. And explain to me how suspension helps you not max out 4th gear before the 1/4? Of course you could go 26" tires (which wont save you for long if you get lower and lower times) but then you have a car that's good at the track and not too many other places.

We're talking about cars and gears here, if you want to talk about my education or who i'm friends with pm me or AIM message me - i'll be happy to discuss any discrepancies you have.

Really a 4.30 is not too bad assuming you are going to a PI set up eventually otherwise it's a bit much for a NPI setup. On the street a set of 4.30s will separate the boys from men when it comes to driving. If you know how to work the clutch and gas properly you can make them hook just fine but it takes more work than someone with the same power running 4.10's or 3.73's. However it would be pretty foolish to state that the car would just spin against anyone. I know people running on 18" DR's that can dead hook on the street making 500RWHP.

Bill

Mustang92 said:

Really a 4.30 is not too bad assuming you are going to a PI set up eventually otherwise it's a bit much for a NPI setup. On the street a set of 4.30s will separate the boys from men when it comes to driving. If you know how to work the clutch and gas properly you can make them hook just fine but it takes more work than someone with the same power running 4.10's or 3.73's. However it would be pretty foolish to state that the car would just spin against anyone. I know people running on 18" DR's that can dead hook on the street making 500RWHP.

Bill

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i'm just sayin unless your always at the track, the downside of a 4.30 seems more than the upside
I suppose that's up for personal preference

I agree if you are talking about a daily driver that goes to the track running street tires every once in a while then 4.30's are going to be overkill unless you just like a challenge.

Bill